Norinco made several SKS mods for the US civilian market.  One of them was the "SKS Para" (never a military rifle, BTW), which was the shortened, 16" barreled SKS you have.  They were imported in the early 90's, until Chinese rifles & ammo were banned from import by Klinton in 96(?).

-Troy

Guys,

SKSs that can't be *proven* to have been imported before 1990 cannot have ANY of the following features:

- Flash Suppressor
- Folding/Collapsable Stock
- Pistol Grip
- Bayonet Lug
- Military Bipod

This is due to the GCA68, as modified by the Import Ban in 1989.  Note that the guns must ALSO comply with the 1994 AW ban.

Of course, if you change out enough imported parts with US-made parts, the gun is no longer an import, and then must only comply with the 1994 ban (but would be considered "post-ban", as it wasn't legally in AW configuration before the ban).

The SKS is a BATF favorite for busting people, because few understand the laws, or remember that IMPORTED rifles have additional restrictions above those of the 1994 AW ban.

-Troy

Quoted: Nope - It can have only ONE evil feature - but since most of them have a bayo lug - you're done. Tony

Actually, the ONLY reason that SOME post-89 SKSs can have a bayonet lug is because they are C&R guns, and are allowed to have the bayo lugs as long as they are otherwise kept in stock configuration.  Note that Chinese SKSs are NOT C&R guns, and cannot have bayonet lugs unless they were imported before 1990.

Had it not been for that specific exemption, they could not have bayo lugs at all.

Slacker,

Your pictured gun is absolutely illegal.  I see a pistol grip, folding stock, flash suppressor (which, if 22mm, is also a grenade launcher), and a questionable bipod, though that one could be argued.

The thumbhole SKS-Ds are post-89 Chinese guns, and so they aren't allowed to have ANY of the features I listed in my first reply.

Had your replaced enough parts with US-made parts before 9/13/94, you could have your gun in that configuration.  Except that there wasn't a source for nearly enough US-made parts until a year or two ago, so that isn't possible either.

If you do the parts replacement now, making the gun "domestic" instead of "imported", you'll still be regulated by the 94 AW ban rules, so you'd be allowed one feature from that list.

-Troy

Quoted: Mine came with a bayo lug and the spike type bayonet. Regular stock, scope mount. If it came with the bayonet is it still illegal? Youre worrying me.

Post '89 Russian, Romanian, Yugo, and other East Bloc SKSs are all Curio & Relic guns, and can have their bayonets, as long as they otherwise remain in stock configuration.  Remember that this is an exemption granted for C&R SKSs, which BATF believes only retain their "curio interest", and therefore the exemption, in stock configuration.

The Chinese guns are where the problem is.  Post '89 Chinese SKSs cannot have a bayonet lug or bayonet.  There are a good number of original military Chinese SKSs that were brought in before '89, but MOST of the Chinese SKSs were made after '89 for commercial sales, and these are NOT allowed to have bayonets or bayo lugs.  These guns will probably all have pinned instead of screwed-in barrels, though some pre-89 SKSs also have pinned barrels.  The true military ones have screwed-in barrels.

Anyway, there were a lot of post '89 Chinese SKSs brought in with intact bayo lugs but no bayonet.  The bayonets were brought in seperately and sold off cheap (one company advertised them as tent stakes!).  A lot of dealers actually bought the bayonets and attached them to the Chinese SKSs, most assuming it was legal since the Russian guns could have them.  And so, of course, the folks that buy them believe it's legal too, just like those "pre-ban Rock River Arms" and "pre-ban ASA" rifles you sometimes see at shows.  Per BATF, it isn't legal.

I know this is all a mess, but that's why people get into so much trouble with SKSs.  It's complicated, and folks wish to believe it isn't, or just don't know at all.  And unfortunately, BATF HAS busted LOTS of people with SKSs, with some even making it to court (most people plea bargain).

Honestly, you'd probably need to be someplace where BATF is (i.e., a gun show), or do something to gain lots of police attention in order to "get caught".  But know what the law is.

-Troy